In the Desert

    Lupin runs into frame and collides with a wagon containing boxes of alcohol, causing her to fall backwards. A man approaches her, carrying another box.

Man: Whoa easy there, friend. You look scared half to death and I'd know. *placing another box into the wagon* What seems to be troubling you?

    Lupin was sniffing in the air as she doesn't sense Kaiser and the others anymore as she was ready to cry.

Man: It's okay, friend. You know, I find it rather unfair of people to judge one another. If you really are a criminal then your judgement will come after you've left this corporeal world behind.

    Lupin looks around, slightly confused.

Man: I'm trying to say you're safe with me. Now, now. Bounty hunters love this side of the desert. It's wonderful for business, but trouble for you. Tell you what I can take you across the treacherous part of the desert so you can continue on your merry way. How's that sound?

Lupin:  I would like that.

Man: Splendid! Make yourself comfortable friend. It's a bumpy ride.

    Lupin lays back as the man closes the boxes. Later, the two finally come a stop.

Man: Come on out, partner.

    Lupin jumps out of the wagon to take a look around. She finds that she is in front of a small shack surrounded by many graves. The man then suddenly hits her in the head with a shovel from behind. Lupin wakes up, cuffed to a wall with hand cuffs in the man's basement. The man walks down the stairs at the opposite side of the room.

Man: Lupin Creation. Unbelievable! Now I'm not sure what those Shi Clan and Creation Clan would have done to you, but I promise you're safe with me. Isn't that right, everyone?

    The man looks over to a boy sitting in his cell, obviously receiving no response. Lupin attempts to shake free from her restraints.

Man: There's no use in struggling. Those hand cuffs are of my own design, and they only open with my key. *sets down a key made of bone on the table and chuckles as he places a music box on the table as well* Now, handcuffing you up to the wall like a prisoner might seem inhospitable. But I didn't want you taking off on me before I had the chance to talk. I've heard you can do some amazing things. Things that have piqued my professional curiosity.

    Taking the hint, Lupin begrudgingly transforms into a HellWolf.

Man: There it is! Fascinating! Simply fascinating! So curious this ability to transform into a HellWolf out of nothing. But is this life? Is it truly? Do you have a soul? Free will? Or are a monster of yourself a simple slave, only to do its bidding?

    The prisoner and Lupin exchange glances.

Man:  Wait, no. Are you intelligent? And to what measure? Are the extensions of you, their last kind of HellWolf?

Lupin:  .....Yes.

Man: That's no good. No good at all. How could-

???:  Leave her alone, old man!

Man: What's that boy?! *looks over to the prisoner again and opens the cell*

???:  No wait- *gets beat up until one of his ribs broke*  GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

Man:  Next time, wait for your turn to speak!

    The man walked towards Lupin's cell. Lupin tries to break the chains off of her wrists, but she didn't succeed.

Man: (laughs) Well, would you look at that! Don't you see? This key, like your parents, is made of bone! Dead material. You can't bring life back to that where it has left. But it seems your powers has to go somewhere! I take it you did know that.

  Lupin slightly lower her head.

Man:  That's all right. We're both learning new things. It's certainly fascinating. Though it is a tough break for Mark. But, that's to be expected. No one in Zalia can protect HellWolves anymore. Although, we might be able to change that.

The man leaves the room and returns with a book in hand.

Man: Do you know what this is? A spell book and every informations about every powerful clan in the whole universe. Lo and behold, they're right, and this book is proof. The problem is I can't understand most of it. And even if I could, I'm not familiar enough with magic to do anything meaningful. But you, you could learn. Imagine what the dead could tell us if we were to bring them back. It would be irresponsible of us not to pursue such queries. Don't you agree?

Lupin:  No.

Man: (angry) No? No?! But you have this blessing! You could do so much! Expand your powers so greatly. Instead of playing stupid games!

    The man throws a chair near Lupin's cell as Mark and Lupin watched in horror.

Man:  What is the point of it all? Why do you... *looks over to see Lupin's shocked expression* What is it. You're upset over this? Why? Do you feel responsible for everything? Do you feel the need to protect everyone?

Mark:  What makes her special, Joseph.

Joseph: Good question Mark, what does make her so special? What does she have inside her the rest of us don't? Perhaps we should find out.

    Joseph takes out a large knife and approaches Lupin, preparing to cut into her. He is interrupted by a knock at the front door upstairs.

Joseph: I'll be right back.

    In the basement, Lupin begins to escape by using her sharp nails to escape from those cuffs and punched her cell door and help Mark out of his cell. Suddenly, they saw a sheriff upstairs and he spotted them.

Sheriff: Huh?

The sheriff is hit from behind with a shovel by the Joseph. He aggressively beats the sheriff with the shovel repeatedly. Lupin and Mark runs out of the basement only to be confronted by a gun-wielding Undertaker.

Joseph: Now, friend, you can't go yet. There's still so much you don't understand. Like how I'm trying to help you. I'm the key to unlocking your true power. These people are the least of your worries! Once people know what you can do, there'll be no place for you to run. If you leave now, things will only get worse for you.

  Mark suddenly lands a couple of punches onto the Undertaker's face, causing him to fire his gun.

Joseph: (grunting) You stupid... brat!

    Joseph throws Mark off of him, and stabs him in the stomach. Lupin watched Joseph in horror as Mark was losing a lot of blood. Suddenly, Joseph starts beating Lupin up as she was having bruises on her stomach and her face.

Joseph: Now you are going to show me your magic!

    Now angry, Lupin begins to bite Joseph's hands off and scratched his face. She was ready to slash his stomach, but Mark stopped her.

Mark:  Lupin, don't do this. He has enough.

After a few small moments, Lupin  stops. She picks up Mark and takes a look back at Joseph who is curled into a ball and shaking. Time passes, and Joseph is seen tied up in a chair, still shaking.

Joseph: Please I have so many more questions. What did you do? Where are the HellWolves like you? A-are they still here?

    Ignoring Joseph's questions and pleas, Lupin takes his spell book and proceeds out the door.

Joseph: Don't take that! Where are you going? Don't leave me! (muffled as door closes) Don't leave me alone!

    Taking a moment to relax, Lupin leans against the closed door with Mark sleeping when she sees a box of alcohol and bandages and proceeds to tend Mark's wound until three officers riding with their horses came. When the sheriff finally regains consciousness and calls out, Lupin and Mark fleed.

Sheriff: (kicking down door, holding his head) Hey! That man tried to murder me! He was in here I tell you!

    On a nearby hill, Lupin and Mark escaped with the spell book and informations about every powerful clan together.

Sheriff: Come on boys! Let's arrest him.

Officer: I call dibs! Keep an eye on him if he tries to squeal.

    Taking the chance to escape, Lupin and Mark runs away, looking up to see three birds circling the sky.

Lupin:  Look, just go home.

Mark:  How can I come home when he took me faraway from my family? Besides, you don't know where you're going and I know a place where we can lay low. Look, Joseph may have hurt us, but I can make sure that nothing is gonna hurt us.

Lupin:  ......Lupin. *extended her arm towards Mark's hand*

Mark:  Mark Philips. *shakes hands with Lupin*

    They started to walk across the desert and found a gateway.

Lupin:  Ready?

Mark:  Ready.

    They hold each others' hands and teleported towards a new area as the gateway towards the desert is still open.